MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – Kroger is now clarifying an accident involving a COVID-19 vaccine that occurred at one of the clinics in Central Virginia.
A spokesperson initially told CBS 6 that several people had accidentally received an injection of saline instead of a Coronavirus vaccine, but now Kroger says that is not the case.
“After a thorough investigation, we just got new information that customers were getting empty syringes and not saline,” said a Kroger Mid-Atlantic spokesperson.
On Wednesday afternoon, Kroger sent an initial statement to CBS 6 saying that people expecting to be vaccinated against the Coronavirus were instead given saline as a “fair mistake.” Hours later, Kroger turned back on that statement after a spokesperson said they had been misinformed.
In the initial statement, Kroger said anyone affected was contacted and received a COVID-19 vaccine. A spokesperson confirmed that fewer than ten people have been affected.
CBS 6 spoke to a man who said it happened to him during his first appointment on Monday and felt that something was wrong.
“It stung a little when I went in. I always get my flu shot, and it hurts a little bit more than that,” he said. “But when I got the real picture, it was significantly different. I felt it right away.”
The man told CBS 6 he was happy the issue had been resolved, and the staff were helpful and apologetic when he returned to take the actual recording.
“My main concern was if they didn’t find out, even if there were just a few of us, you know, we all thought we were vaccinated,” he said. false sense of security. So I’m really glad they somehow found out what happened. ‘
As of Wednesday evening, he said Kroger has not contacted him since revealing the syringe was empty.
According to health experts, injecting someone with an empty syringe can pump air into a person’s body, which can block blood flow.
Kroger said all vaccinators at the Midlothian clinic have been retrained and the company is working closely with the Virginia Department of Health to address the issue.
CBS 6 asked Kroger how such a thing could happen, and we didn’t get an answer to that question.
This is a story in development, so anyone with more information can email [email protected] to send a tip. Stay with WTVR.com and check out CBS 6 News for updates as new information becomes available.